Sun.’s Devo - Philadelphia and Laodicea

Read: Amos 7:1-9:15; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 29:23 God showed Amos two scenarios of what he was planning to do to judge Israel. The first was a swarm of locusts that came through the land at harvest time and ate up all the crops. The second was a fire that consumed everything. Amos cried out in protest over both of them pleading with the Lord not to do either because Israel could not survive. God relented and then showed Amos a plumb line. By His standard of measure He would judge Israel. Whoever didn’t measure up would be killed. King Jeroboam’s kingdom would be brought down. Jereboam was the leader of the northern kingdom of Israel. The kingdom had just split into Israel and Judah and to keep the people from traveling to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, Jereboam had set up two golden calves for the people of Israel to worship. He led the people into idolatry. One of these golden calves was in Bethel. Amaziah, the leading false priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam that Amos was prophesying against him. He also sent word to Amos to take his business back to Judah. Amos explained that he wasn’t prophesying for money like they did, he was there on commission from God. He made his living being a shepherd and taking care of sycamore-fig trees. Then Amos told the priests of Israel what would happen to them and their land. Their own wives would be forced to become prostitutes as they would be led into exile where they would die. Their children would be killed and their land divided up. Amos was shown a basket of ripe fruit. God told him that Israel was ripe for judgment. Their day of feasting and singing was going to change to wailing and mourning. Many would die. Their sins were listed: they dishonored God, cheated the helpless and enslaved the poor. There would be a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord. There would be no place to escape God’s judgment. Amos brought out a great point. He reminded them that just like God brought Israel out of Egypt, He brought the Philistines out of Crete and the Arameans out of Kir. He asked the Israelites if they think that are more important than these other nations. God has to judge nations for their actions…all nations. Israel was to be God’s nation on the earth to be an example to the other nations of how His nation should live and how He would care for them. Instead, Israel followed after the other nations and became like them. God had to judge them. But, God always leaves them with hope. One day they would return not only to their land but to Him and he would abundantly bless them. In Revelation John speaks to the churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea, the last two churches. These churches mirror the last ages of the church age. The people in the church of Philadelphia were commended for obeying God’s Word and not denying Him. Their enemies will have to come and acknowledge that they are the true children of God that he loves. Their perseverance will keep them from the time of testing that will come in the end. The victorious will become pillars in the Temple of God and they will have the name of God and be citizens in the new Jerusalem. They will also be given God’s new name. They were given no rebuke. The church of Laodicia were the opposite. They were lukewarm and would be spit out of God’s mouth. They didn’t have eyes to see or ears to hear or a heart to understand the days they were living in. They had no fear of God. He called them to hear his voice and come and sit with him and have fellowship. If they overcame their indifference they would sit with him on his throne. Lord, may we be victorious in the age we are living in. May we not give up hope.